Water Research Commission CEO Dhesigen Naidoo
Photo by: Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Water Research Commission CEO Dhesigen Naidoo has said the Covid-19 pandemic was encouraging different water sector role-players to open channels of communication and use digital tools to further their goals of making clean and safe water available to an increased number of people and under-resourced areas.
He addressed a Water, Sanitisation and Hygiene (Wash) webinar, which forms part of the Africa Utility Week online programme, on May 14.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) states that, owing to their interdependent nature, the three core issues of Wash are grouped together to represent a growing sector.
“While each a separate field of work, each is dependent on the presence of the other. For example, without toilets, water sources become contaminated; without clean water, basic hygiene practices are not possible."
Water plays a critical role in ensuring people can practice personal hygiene, especially in terms of washing their hands regularly – a key method of curbing the spread of Covid-19. Many water-stressed jurisdictions have battled to find ways to make clean water accessible in areas where it had been lacking.
Many African countries, and those around the world, have engaged in emergency strategies to make more water available to people, notes Naidoo. “The result is increased pressure in the water sector, which has pushed it beyond its usual capacity. In most parts of the world, South Africa included, the water sector has delivered on this goal and must be commended. The sheer dedication in meeting these goals is appreciated.”
In addition, Naidoo pointed out that Covid-19 had, ironically, resulted in some positive impacts on the global and especially African water sectors.
“There are things stemming from Covid-19 that are really powerful. One of these is a new regionalisation project that might not have ever materialised, had it not been for Covid-19 and the fact that it forces cooperation and regional discussion.
“Africans are talking to Africans, all over the continent, in a way they have not done until now,” stated Naidoo, adding that this had driven a new mechanism in which different role-players need to be able to communicate.
In this regard, digital platforms have enhanced the communication process, bringing more people together in rapid ways.
The second positive factor brought about by Covid-19 was a new globalisation collaboration project, he said. “I dare to say that African water professionals have had far more interaction in the last two months with the rest of the global water community, around water and water practices, waste and waste sanitation practices, than we have ever done before.”
In this regard, Naidoo said there was increased activity by water professionals around mega water projects. “These projects have the potential to change our future of water in Africa.”
As an example, he highlighted a wastewater surveillance project, which was just beginning to be formulated and which would be launched through a webinar event during the third week of May.
“This will be used as a surveillance tool for Covid-19 [and its impact to the water sector].”
However, this megaproject has further, far-reaching, benefits. Naidoo pointed out that it would become a surveillance tool and a network to deal with a variety of issues in the area of water quality, which the industry generally struggled with.
Further, he also emphasised that Covid-19 and its consequent restrictions on movement had been a catalyst for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in the international water sector, and especially in Africa.
“The future of African water management cannot continue to rely on the physical manipulation of apparatus.”
In this regard, Naidoo said the digitalisation of water infrastructure and communication would become more prominent. “Covid-19 implications are giving us exactly that premise and platform on which to build [a modern 4IR industry].”
He concluded that if the global water sector looked at its issues through the perspective of Covid-19 and its widespread implications, then the crisis could be used to accelerate the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.